ANT334H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Osteology, Taphonomy, Autopsy
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Size: within normal adult range consider. Shape, angle of joint surfaces: child vs. small animal. Well-defined surfaces, edges: sagittal line on nonhuman vertebrae. Human: bulbous forehead, fragments uniformly curved. Animal: fragments flat or sharply curved. Animal ribs: often curved mainly at one end. Without claws, most similar to human hands. Bear carpals (wrist: larger, more defined than human. Bear metacarpals (palm: ridge down head and shaft) Animal: long and narrow (because you are dealing with an animal that is most likely quadruped) Human: broad and short, supports weight of upper body. Bear femur is similar in size (slightly shorter: more robust, no neck. Human: delicate, defined neck, rounded head (used for a range of motions) Donated or unclaimed bodies: 1970"s biological supply companies india. They would take remains from rivers, and taking semi disarticulated bodies and selling them. Now a day, skeletal remains come from china or russia. Early specimens: varnished this varnish actually peels off.
